Vehicle control device, control method for a vehicle control device, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for a vehicle control device

A control method for a vehicle control device that is applied to connected vehicles in which a towed vehicle is connected to a towing vehicle, the vehicle control device comprising:

• a braking and driving section configured to independently apply braking and driving forces to left and right wheels of the towing vehicle, respectively;
• a braking and driving force detection section configured to detect braking and driving forces of respective wheels of the towing vehicle;
• a mass estimation section configured to estimate a mass of the towed vehicle;
• and
• an angle detection section configured to detect a bending angle of a connecting section between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle,
• the control method comprising:
• estimating a yaw moment with respect to the towing vehicle during braking of the towing vehicle, using a detection result of the angle detection section and an estimation result of the mass estimation section;
• calculating a left-right difference in braking force of the towing vehicle so as to suppress the estimated yaw moment;
• and
• controlling left and right braking forces of the towing vehicle, by using a detection result of the braking and driving force detection section, based on a calculation result of calculating the left-right difference in braking force.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for a vehicle control device, the control program being executable by a computer included in the vehicle control device to perform information processing, the vehicle control device being applied to connected vehicles in which a towed vehicle is connected to a towing vehicle, and the vehicle control device comprising:

• a braking and driving section configured to independently apply braking and driving forces to left and right wheels of the towing vehicle, respectively;
• a braking and driving force detection section configured to detect braking and driving forces of respective wheels of the towing vehicle;
• a mass estimation section configured to estimate a mass of the towed vehicle;
• and
• an angle detection section configured to detect a bending angle of a connecting section between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle,
• the information processing comprising:
• estimating a yaw moment with respect to the towing vehicle during braking of the towing vehicle, using a detection result of the angle detection section and an estimation result of the mass estimation section;
• calculating a left-right difference in braking force of the towing vehicle so as to suppress the estimated yaw moment;
• and
• controlling left and right braking forces of the towing vehicle, by using a detection result of the braking and driving force detection section, based on a calculation result of calculating the left-right difference in braking force.